Independent councillor subject to sickening witch hunt now defended by FSU
John Edwards, an Independent councillor for Sandhurst, is being punished and silenced for telling the truth about an Afghan resettlement hotel scheme in Bracknell.
Last April, Bracknell Forest Council started to house 300 Afghans in a four-star hotel. The scheme provided on-site healthcare and “move-on” support to help Afghans resettle in private rented properties, with deposits and upfront rent paid for.
All of this information was already in the public domain. But the council didn’t appear to like John asking questions about the impact of the scheme on local services and residents. It subsequently launched a year-long investigation into him, costing taxpayers £15,000.
During the process, key evidence was withheld from him, his accusers were granted anonymity, and fellow councillors accused him of racism and xenophobia. It was claimed he had been reported to the police, and he was even compared to the murderer of the late MP Jo Cox.
After a year, the independent investigator cleared him of all charges. Instead of accepting the finding, the council returned with a new, narrower charge.
John is now accused of bringing his office into disrepute for telling the truth and exposing aspects and consequences of the Afghan resettlement scheme that the council didn’t want the public to know.
Throughout all of this, John has not been allowed to put forward a defence. He now faces a hearing where the same councillors who branded him a racist will decide his fate.
The council is using taxpayers’ money to fund its action against John — to silence a political opponent.
The Free Speech Union is proud to support John. He now needs your help, because if the council succeeds, it will create a blueprint for other councils to silence elected representatives and set a precedent whereby unelected officials decide which policies may be scrutinised and what information the public is allowed to hear.
If you can, please donate to his crowdfunder to help pay for his legal defence here;
https://www.gofundme.com/f/silenced-for-telling-the-truth-about-an-afghan-hotel-scheme
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